190913 gare du nord
Commuters wait to board a metro at the Gare du Nord subway station during a strike by all unions of the Paris transport network (RATP) against pension reform plans in Paris, France. Image Credit: Reuters

Paris: A massive strike is paralyzing Paris public transports on Friday as unions protest a sweeping pension reform by French President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

Paris public transport company RATP says 10 metro lines are closed and several others, including the RER suburban rail, are severely disrupted. On platforms, messages in French and English were warning passengers of the strike, the biggest since 2007.

Trains that were still circulating were noticeably less crowded than usual, as authorities recommended people living in the Paris region to work from home or choose other means of transport.

The government website monitoring roads showed major traffic jams in and around the French capital.

RATP employees are protesting a pension reform planned for next year that is expected to make them work longer before retirement.